Does Mass Gainer Increase Height?
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In this article, we’ll discuss whether mass gainers can help you increase your height or not and, if so, how.
So, it might be one of the two cases. You are here because you are seeing yourself getting taller in the mirror with mass gainers. Or you assume that these powders may help you go up a few inches because of their abundant macronutrients.
In any case, genetics is the prime controller of how tall you will get. However, if there is a deficiency of nutrients, then just genetics won’t be enough to pull you long.
And this is where the role of nutrient supplements in growth steps in.
Ironically, mass gainers may have the potential to increase height. But, most individuals may not be on the receiving end of this benefit because of their age limits.
Last but not least, you will also find some natural food recommendations that may work even better than these synthetic powders for increasing height.
So, keep reading to know the details.
Does mass gainer make you taller?
No, mass gainers may not help you get taller because the time of their recommended intake is past your growing age.
Before we get into the details of that, let’s understand how does linear growth occur in the first place?
The answer sits with the internal and external factors that dictate bones’ growth, which in turn account for increases in height. Some of the many factors here can be genetics, disease, environment, or socioeconomic status that influence how tall you’ll get.
But among these, the most important factor is the nutritional intake during post-natal years.
Nonetheless, nutrition may only influence height from adolescence to the end of puberty. After that, skeletal maturation reaches its peak. Therefore, any changes in height become impossible.
Besides, studies suggest puberty may hit girls between 9-10 years and boys between 11-12 years and lasts for two to five years.
After this, your growth plates may close.
Hence, you may expect changes in height to occur until about 16-18 years of age. And unfortunately, most mass gainers are recommended only for ages above 18 years of age.
This may be because of their health risks, sugar content, and the steroid traces that might occur in them.
But still, there is an exception for individuals who may keep growing even after 18 years of age.
And in the next section, I will tell you how mass gainers may promote height in such cases.
How Does Mass Gainer Affect Height?
As mentioned above, the growth plates usually get closed after sexual maturity. Therefore, your bones can’t grow any longer.
Consequently, your height won’t increase.
Nevertheless, in some cases, if the growth plates remain open, there is a chance of some growth.
According to doctors on health.tap, you undergo the X-ray of your wrist or fingers to confirm whether your growth plates are open or close.
Another indication is that if you haven’t observed any changes in your height over the past two years, you probably have stopped growing. Nonetheless, if there is hope, then in this case, here are some mass gainer ingredients that may help you grow in height.
Whey Protein
A lot of mass gainer options you have in the market are whey or casein protein based.
One reason why whey protein is the preferred choice among manufacturers is that it provides the highest essential amino acids (43%), including all four Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAA) that are important in stimulating muscle protein synthesis.
However, in addition to muscle growth, whey protein may also promote bone growth.
Over the years, research has already proven the role of milk, especially cow’s milk, in increasing height.
Hence, its individual components, like whey, may also have a similar benefit.
For instance, whey protein stimulates a hormone, the insulin growth factor-1 (IGF-1), which may help increase bone density and height.
Additionally, A study observed the height differences among 45 different countries. It demonstrated that the intake of high-quality animal proteins caused the population to grow taller compared to low-quality protein from plant sources.
Micronutrients
There are only a few mass gainers that contain micronutrients within the recommended ranges, but those that do may play a pivotal role in supporting taller heights.
A 2012 research concluded that although all micronutrients positively relate to height and treat malnutrition.
Among these, zinc, iron, calcium, and vitamin A are especially important in preventing stunting.
For instance, zinc is crucial for growth and promotes the growth of intrauterine femur length (part of the thigh bone in the uterus).
Also read:
How to Choose the Right Mass Gainer For You?
There are certain features that define a good mass gainer.
Therefore, in this section, I’ll tell you what you need to look for in the product description to make a wise purchase.
Carb-to-protein ratio
Mass gainers with a high carbohydrate to protein ratio support clean and lean gains and a better exercise performance than their counterparts.
The reason is that high carbs to proteins increase the glycogen synthesis in the muscles while simultaneously boosting the protein synthesis in them.
This implies that you will not only have more energy for doing exercise but will also have better recovery and massive muscle growth if you consume macronutrients in this ratio.
According to research, you may get optimal gains if you achieve your daily caloric intake from 55-60% carbohydrate, 25-30% protein, and 15-20% of fat.
Amino acid profile
The amino acid profile of the proteins is as important in muscle development as is a high protein intake.
Most animal proteins have a richer amino acid ratio compared to plant proteins.
Hence, mass gainers containing whey, egg, milk, or casein-derived protein will give you higher percentages of essential amino acids.
These essential amino acids, especially the Branched chain amino acids, namely valine, leucine, and isoleucine, will stimulate muscle protein synthesis, energy production, and muscle regeneration.
However, there is one more thing that you need to look out for.
Avoid mass gainers that contain only branched amino acids but lack other essential amino acids such as methionine, lysine, phenylalanine, etc., because this may cause side effects such as acne.
Micronutrient
Micronutrients are as important as macronutrients for holding up the healthy functioning of the organs and organ systems. But yet again, mass gainers are notorious for being just macronutrient powders.
Hence, most of them miss out on essential vitamins and minerals.
So, you should scan the stores for mass gainers that present an impressive mineral and vitamin content.
Before I move next, here are examples of the role of different micronutrients in improving hypertrophy, workout endurance, and overall health.
Starting with B vitamins which are required in energy production.
Next, magnesium is needed in protein synthesis.
Moving on to sodium and potassium that promote hydration.
Now comes the calcium that helps with muscle contractions and vitamin D, which increases testosterone production.
In addition to all these I named, there are still so many other equally important micronutrients.
But be careful not to go too overboard with them, as micronutrients exceeding the recommended limits may also damage your health.
Low sugar content
Mass gainers that have a sugar content as high as 30g and maltodextrin in them are a big no.
If you look around the store, you will see that most mass gainers lying on the shelves have high amounts of artificial sugars and maltodextrin. These low glycemic alternatives to the high-quality carbohydrates (starch, dietary fiber) make these powders more affordable.
But these alternatives also cause insulin and sugar spikes.
This may eventually increase your risk of developing type 2 diabetes if you are predisposed to it.
Furthermore, scientists warn that sweeteners like sucralose and acesulfame potassium may upset the gut microbiota, leading to metabolic diseases.
Digestive enzymes
Digestive enzymes are crucial in the process of digestion and promote the absorption of food from the gut.
However, one issue with mass gainers is that they are stuffed with high calories and a lot of macros.
Therefore, these stodgy nutrients may cause gastrointestinal distress and symptoms like nausea, diarrhea, constipation, indigestion, bloating, flatulence, vomiting, and abdominal pain in the initial days. Hence you should look for mass gainers with digestive aids.
For starters, you may try Crazy Nutrition’s mass gainer, which contains DigeZyme.
DigeZyme is a blend of all five digestive enzymes (Protease, Amylase, Lactase, Lipase, and Cellulase) that aids digestion and may prevent such side effects.
Creatine
Creatine is stored in the form of phosphocreatine in the muscles, where it supports muscle growth and energy production.
Hence, taking creatine orally also imparts a similar effect.
This is why among all mass gainers that have macronutrients, creatine is one ingredient that makes them outshine their competitor’s products.
Here again, you can give the Crazy nutrition mass gainer a try to see the benefits of creatine mass gainers yourself.
Cost of mass gainer
On top of all the benefits, if a product is budget-friendly, it just makes it 10x more desirable. The cost of most mass gainers on the markets varies between $40-$60 for six scoops.
Hence, you may look for supplements that fall in this range.
4 Natural Foods that can help increase your height naturally
There are a lot of organic foods that you can eat to increase your height naturally. Here are my top four picks that are abundant in both macronutrients and micronutrients.
Dairy products
Dairy products are a rich source of protein and micronutrients like vitamin D, B vitamins, calcium, and phosphorus. These nutrients are critical in fueling the growth of bones.
For instance, a review of 3-year NHANES showed that 5–11-year-olds who regularly drank milk grew taller.
However, if you want milk alternatives, then, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), cheese and yogurt also contain all the 13 essential nutrients that milk offers.
AAP also recommends that to build healthy bones, 4–8-year-old kids should consume two to three servings of dairy foods (milk, cheese, and yogurt), and adolescents should consume four servings.
Fruits And Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables contain proteins and vitamins A, C, K, and D that are required for skeletal development and general health.
A Danish study concluded that a moderate to high consumption of fruit and vegetables is associated with a taller height in both school and pre-school boys and girls.
Additionally, the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) meal patterns also require that children should be served two different fruits or vegetables at lunch and supper.
Eggs
Eggs are abundant in proteins (about 6.5 grams) that contain all essential amino acids. It also has micronutrients like Vitamin D, B vitamins, and calcium that support bone development and height.
A 6-month randomized control trial performed in Ecuador revealed that eggs increased growth and reduced stunting by 47 percent in the studied children.
Hence, eating one egg every day during growth years may prevent stunted growth.
Seafood
Seafood is high in macronutrients, minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants. It is rich in omega-3-fatty acids that promote better sleep and bone turnover, which also contribute to increases in height.
The perfect vitamin D to calcium ratio enables efficient bone absorption, making them stronger.
For instance, 100g of canned salmon has 15mcg vitamin D and 220mg of calcium.
Conclusion
To conclude, mass gainers are effective aids to muscle growth only. Because for most of us, by the age of 18 years, our skeletons have already matured.
Hence linear growth may not occur in us anymore. Even if your mass gainer intake coincides with your growing age, it is best to shift to organic food to increase your height if that is your goal.
The reason is that real food is more wholesome and nutritious than artificial powders.
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